Marketing Your Editorial Business

At last week's Editors Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph meeting we had Susan Crossman as a guest speaker. Susan is a professional writer and editor who has written four books that have been traditionally published. She spoke to us about marketing the editorial business to create a steady flow of projects and in turn a healthy revenue. Her presentation was engaging and full of general ideas, specific examples, and a few personal stories.

The evening started with a little bit of dancing, and we soon learned that marketing requires both sides of the brain: the creative and the analytical. Susan's definition of marketing was simply that it's a process of starting conversations with people you want to do business with. This conversing could happen via networking, websites, social media, business cards, webinars, and trade shows. A website should look appealing, be easy to navigate, use key words for SEO, and offer something to grab the users' attention. For example, providing a free downloadable booklet will require email addresses, which can then be used to send out weekly newsletters, and potentially connect you with your subscribers.

LinkedIn came up, as it always does at marketing presentations. I'm definitely guilty of not maximizing my profile. But it's been a year and I'm finally writing my first carets + locators blog post, so there is hope yet. Thank you, Susan! There were some good basic tips for making the most of your LinkedIn account. Connect with the people you meet. As you're notified about your prospects' information like it, share it, and comment on it. See which groups your prospects belong to, and join those groups. Respond to invitations from others.

When marketing offline, think about where your ideal client hangs out, and start frequenting those places. Consider becoming a member of professional associations, and not just your own, but those of your potential clients. Look at the events offered through your local Chamber of Commerce. Business cards seem outdated, but they still play a part in marketing and connecting. For anyone extroverted, speaking at events will create exposure and likely generate opportunities.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. Tell people what you do, and what business you're looking for. Make a list of people you know, and set up coffee dates. Set your goals, and ask yourself who do I need to be in order to meet those goals?